


An antihero and a heroine

by assortedwords



Category: Kagerou Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-06
Updated: 2014-06-15
Packaged: 2018-01-23 18:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1575197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assortedwords/pseuds/assortedwords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's not a hero, but he gets the girl anyway.</p><p>30 day otp challenge with ShinAya.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That's better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shintaro is impatient but also not that much of a dick.
> 
> day 01: holding hands

She can’t keep up.

It’s not her fault—Shintaro’s legs are longer, and his energy’s conserved by not responding to her chatter. It’s okay, though—it’s enough that he’s here with her.

“Shintaro-kun!” she calls. “Wait!”

He turns around, already looking irritated. “Ayano—“he starts, and stops, sighing. He takes one, two wide steps to her, and pulls at her wrist. “I’m going to be late,” he mutters, but she hears anyway.

“Late for what?” she asks. Her eyes are lighting up already—what could he have lined up? All Shintaro seems to do is hole up in his house after they part ways, so it’s intriguing to hear he has plans. She stumbles a little after him as Shintaro strides forward, pulling her behind him.

“Momo’s birthday party,” he says flatly, and turns around again, irritably. “Ayano, walk faster already!”

“Sorry, sorry!” she smiles, starting to hurry a little. “Wasn’t Momo-chan’s birthday two days ago, though?”

“Yeah, but that’s in the middle of the week. It’s more convenient to have a party just before the weekend.” He sighs again as she can’t keep up— her backpacks heavy and she’s _tired_ , from running errands for teachers and classmates alike all day.

He looks down at his watch, waiting for her to watch up—

“Shit!”

He _really_ hurries now, running his way home and dragging her behind him.

“Shintaro-kun, it _hurts_ —” She doesn’t want to complain, but it really does; his fingers are long and hard, clenching at her wrist, and what with his running, it makes her feel like her wrist will come off any minute.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” he says, frustrated. He stops at the traffic lights, and moves his hold downwards, so their palms are fit together. “Better now?”

She nods, her smile widening even more. “Thank you, Shintaro-kun.”

He looks away. “It’s nothing. Maybe now you’ll stop complaining.”


	2. A strange solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Haruka's innocence brings great joy. 
> 
> day 02: cuddling

“How can you see like that?” Haruka asked innocently, in between mouthfuls of negima.

The cinema was packed, and the only consecutive four seats they’d been able to reserve were at the very back. The height of the seats didn’t do much when Ayano’s 155cm was overshadowed by the huge man sitting in front of her, easily clearing two meters when he stood up.

Ayano started at the question, but soon the smile made its way back onto her face. “It’s okay!” she answered brightly. “There’s a hole in between –”

“Why don’t you sit on Shintaro’s lap?”

Haruka’s question, as always, although well-meaning and purely innocuous, stopped his other three companions in their tracks.

“I mean, he said he didn’t really want to see the movie anyway! But  _you_  want to see it, right, Ayano?”

Another pause began.

“What’s wrong, Kisaragi? Too  _chicken_  shit to let a girl sit on your lap?” Takane broke the silence, a huge grin on her face at Shintaro’s face—which  _had_  gone suspiciously pale.

“What—of course n— _goddamn you, Takane_.”

“I knew it.”

“Shut up!” Turning to Ayano almost furiously, Shintaro ordered, “Ayano, sit on my lap.”

“Shintaro—”

“I said it’s fine, didn’t I?”

She sat on his lap.

“Ehe, I hope I’m not too heavy—”

“It’s fine.”

“Ah, okay then—thank you, Shintaro.”

* * *

When the movie started, it was obvious Shintaro had no idea where to put his hands.

The armrests were uncomfortable, and he couldn’t very well drink soda behind Ayano’s back—literally—and risk the condensation dripping all down the back of her  _shirt_. He may have been called many unflattering adjectives by Takane—and maybe not just her—but Ayano was his  _friend_. He wasn’t going to ruin her clothes. Even though water was easy enough to wash out, and it’d dry—

No. It was too cramped anyway, and what was the use of drinking soda when it wasn’t luxuriously?

He settled for the armrests.

That is, until Ayano noticed his fidgeting every five seconds, and reached for his arms, settling them around her waist, securing her to his lap.

“That way, you can keep me from sliding off! Is it more comfortable this way?” she whispered, not wanting to disturb anyone watching the movie.

He nodded dumbly. It was all he could do not to hug her closer and put his head on her shoulder.


	3. I wanna be a hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we know why Shintaro _kept_ the jacket but we don't know why he got it, do we?
> 
> day 03: watching a movie

Shintaro is nine years old, and Ayano is _almost_ nine—that’s what she says, anyway, when he uses his age against her. It’s only May, and her birthday is in _November_ , so by that definition she’s eight years old. It’s only the beginning of May too, so she’s not even eight and a _half_.

Shintaro uses this against her when they choose which movie to watch. “I want to watch _Part III: Stardust Crusaders_ ,” Ayano says, which isn’t even a _movie_.

“That’s an _anime_ ,” Shintaro says, exasperated. Honestly, this girl’s beyond saving.

“Didn’t you say we were just going to watch _something_ , Shintaro-kun?” she says, brow furrowing. Idly, Shintaro’s heart skips a beat, and he ignores it, confused. This is _Ayano_ , who he met a few years back in a playground, with her weird siblings. He’s not sure why that explains anything, but It _does_.

“No, I said we were going to watch a _movie_ ,” he reaches for a DVD case in the cabinet under the TV. “And in any case, I’m older than you, so I get to choose.”

Ayano considers this for about a second, then sits down without complaint. _Now this is what little sisters are_ supposed _to be like_ , Shintaro thinks, thinking back to when his mother used to stick him and Momo in a room together. Without fail, Momo would be yelling about something “stupid onii-chan” did, and Shintaro would bear the brunt of it.

Shintaro picks up _Superman_ , and puts it in the DVD player.

At first he’s thoroughly engrossed, and when he sneaks a glance over at Ayano, so is she. She’s staring up at the screen with stars in her eyes, and a smile caught on her face. Not that that’s anything different—but her smile matches the stars in her eyes, and Shintaro can’t bear to look away.

Which is silly, because _Superman_ is far more interesting than Ayano’s smile, obviously. What’s he even looking for?

He looks back onto the screen, and tries to become interested again, but his mind keeps floating back to Ayano. He’s irritated at himself, and at Ayano: all he wants to do is watch his movie, but Ayano keeps distracting him, and it’s annoying.

“Ayano, stop that,” he says petulantly, pausing the movie and turning to look at her.

“Stop what?” she’s genuinely confused, by the looks of it. That riles him up even more; that expression makes his heart skip even _more_ , and she doesn’t even know what she’s doing. Goddamn Tateyama Ayano, he thinks.

“Just forget it,” he mutters, and starts the movie again, because he’d rather die than admit she makes his heart do funny things and he kind of likes it.

She goes back to watching the movie wordlessly, once again going along with his orders, and Shintaro likes that, too. Way better than the things she makes his heart do, because having her listen to his every word is excellent, of course.

He follows suit, looking at the screen, where Superman flies up and saves the girl. Everyone calls him a hero—that reminds him of Ayano, and he’s only a _little_ irritated at that.  She’s always running around with that red scarf, telling her siblings stories of heroes and red outfits.

Shintaro realizes with a jolt he wants to be a hero too, be part of that secret gang Ayano has with her siblings.

* * *

After the movie ends, he brings it up casually. “Ayano, you know that red of the colour—red is the hero—colour of the hero thing you have with your siblings?”

Okay, so maybe he trips over his words a couple of times, but it was still casual.

“Yeah?” she hums, looking over at him.

“Um…can I be part of that too?” he stutters a little, and he frowns at the ground.

“Of course!” her excited reply surprises him; although it shouldn’t: he’s known her since he was six, and she gets excited so _easily_. “All you need to do is to wear something red, and then you can be a hero too!”

The next day, Shintaro asks his mom to go shopping with him, and he gets a red jersey.

Ayano smiles when she sees him in it, those stars in her eyes again, and he feels his heart doing funny things again. “It really suits you, Shintaro-kun,” she says, and his heart does backflips over and over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote a pointless fic on childhood!AU how Shintaro met Ayano, so maybe I'll post that if this gets enough kudos.


	4. Once upon a time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Considering it was a public playground, he didn’t get anywhere with that wish. But he did find that the bricked curves that separated plants and like with the plastic of the slides and metal of the jungle gyms were heavily shaded by the trees hanging overhead.
> 
> Good, he thought, briskly dusting off the rough red top of the bricks before seating himself. He placed two pristine, soft hands flat next to him, looking around at nothing in particular.
> 
>  _If only I’d brought my NDS,_ he thought wistfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the prequel to the previous chapter--how kid shintaro and kid ayano met! I did promise to post it if this got enough kudos, and I hadn't _actually_ decided how many "enough" meant, so here you lovely people that kudo'd are! if you're still following this fic, that is.

Shintaro Kisaragi was six years old, out in the park, and extremely grumpy about being in said park.

“It’s not even that good weather,” he complained to himself, kicking a rock with his white-toed sneakers, effectively smudging them with the sand along the path. “It’s _burning_ , and then I’m going to get sunburnt, and it’s not like I want to _play_ , anyway.”

His mother had already settled herself in with a bunch of other mothers, chatting in one corner of the playground and occasionally looking over at him.

He stood at the very edge of the playground, as if even touching the soft-surface material of the ground would immediately suck him in, never to let him go. He peered carefully at each part of the rounded curve that held the play area, looking for a place where he could be alone, peaceful, and shaded.

Considering it was a _public_ playground, he didn’t get anywhere with that wish. But he _did_ find that the bricked curves that separated plants and like with the plastic of the slides and metal of the jungle gyms were heavily shaded by the trees hanging overhead.

 _Good_ , he thought, briskly dusting off the rough red top of the bricks before seating himself. He placed two pristine, soft hands flat next to him, looking around at nothing in particular.

 _If only I’d brought my NDS_ , he thought wistfully.

He looked down at his wrist, where he’d neglected to bring anything to keep the time. His mother had tugged him out of the house with her, expressively forbidding any of his electronics and not even giving him enough time to put a watch on. _Cruel_ , he thought bitterly.

Shintaro swung his legs aimlessly, noting they didn’t reach the ground yet. There was maybe a foot between the ground and the soles of his feet? He stared hard at them, trying to figure it out. Yes, a foot or so, he decided, dismissing the subject and continuing to swing his feet.

_Bored, bored, bored…_

“Do you want to play?” he looked up to see a girl about his age, with hair trailing down her shoulders and a red scarf wrapped around her neck, even though it was spring and slowly getting warmer.

Wordlessly, he stared up at her.

“A-ah, it’s just…my siblings and I need one more person for the game,” she explained, flustered. “And you looked like you didn’t have anything to do…”

Shintaro looked over at his mother, who narrowed her eyes and pointed at the girl, more or less _demanding_ he join her.

“…Fine…” Expressionlessly, he got up and planted two feet on the ground, losing his balance a little from sitting so long. He wasn’t used to getting outside, after all.

“Really?” It was a little sad, he thought, how one agreement, obviously done reluctantly, could make her so happy. The girl’s dark eyes lit up and she looked visibly excited to have him in her game, although truthfully she could have gotten anyone else in the playground to play with her and her siblings.

“…Yeah.”

“Come on!” She latched one hand onto his wrist, pulling him behind her to the other end of the playground.

 _She went that far just to ask me to play…?_ Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shintaro felt pleased at the prospect. Of course she didn’t, he corrected himself. Who would go that far just to ask someone to—

“I’m so glad you agreed,” she said happily, not breaking her pace once as her feet thudded towards a group of smaller children. “I went especially over there to ask you, you know!”

“…Huh…?”

The girl skidded to a stop abruptly, causing Shintaro to stumble a few steps behind her.

She still had a hold on his wrist.

“Tsubomi, Kosuke, Shuuya, this is the fifth player of our game,” the girl announced to the group, which, up close, Shintaro found extremely strange-looking. For one thing, they were all wearing hoodies when it was _spring_. Maybe it was a family fashion trend or something, judging by the girl’s scarf.

But she’d addressed _three_ people, and he could only see two—

 “Eek!”

A rather unmanly squeak ripped itself from his throat. A girl seemed to appear out of nowhere, along with _green hair_ and a pair of eyes with a decidedly lethal-looking glare in them.

“Ahh, don’t worry about that,” one of the boys spoke up cheerfully. He was just as strange-looking as his…sister?—he had sandy hair hidden inside a black spotted hoodie, and cat eyes that matched his hair. “Kido has a weak presence, so people don’t usually—ow!”

“Kido”, as that was apparently her name, swung one fist towards the boy’s stomach, landing quite a blow.

If this was what “normal children” were like, Shintaro decided, he didn’t want any part of it.

“Sorry about them,” the other boy said, with a smile, seeming to be the only normal one of the trio. His hoodie was white—at least _that_ was more fitting to the heat, Shintaro thought.

“Okay, okay, back to our game!” the girl who’d led him here  clapped her hands, temporarily letting go of his wrist, which was beginning to feel overly warm and a little sticky.

“Ah—I forgot to ask your name,” she realized sheepishly, turning to Shintaro.

“Kisaragi. Kisaragi Shintaro.”

“Okay! Kisaragi-kun, these are my siblings—Tsubomi—“, she vaguely gestured to the girl in the lilac hoodie, now looking subdued after hitting her brother “—Shuuya—“, the brother who’d gotten hit, “—and Kosuke”, the only normal one.

“Tsubomi, Shuuya, Kosuke, Kisaragi-kun,” she finished.

Turning to him, she beamed. “And I’m Ayano!”

 _Ayano_ , he thought, turning over the name in his mind. It sounded good. It fitted her.

“Ayano,” he repeated, and he swore she smiled even wider.


End file.
